Dry battery packet



. Dec. 4, 1934;

H. KOCH DRY BATTERY PACKET Filed Oct. 23, 1953 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 4,I934 I 1,983,037 may narraar mcxn'r f Henry Koch, Jamaica, N. Y.,assignor to Dictograph Products Company, Inc., Jamaica, N. Y., acorporation of Delaware Application October as, 1933, Serial no. 694,773

' sciaims, (c1.1ss 1os) ,This invention relates to dry batteries and hasparticular reference to" dry batteries employed ior energizinghearingaid systems for the deaf, although it is not limited to this use.

a? '-.Batteries' or the type-"described comprise a packet of dryceils',"usually three,' which are connected in series to the"contacts'of one element 'oia separable electricconnector secured on thepacket for ready connection to and disconnecmtionfifromthecircuitoi? thehearing aid system which includesjthe usuar transmitter, receiverrheo'stat';;'jfBecause these'batteries must be 'replacedmcre 'or lessfrequently, depending up-V onthejj'egtentbf use, it is necessary thatthey 35 be mac ajs inexpensively as possible and so any structuralimprovements whichreduce the cost of manutactureareoi utmost importance,and the present invention is concerned with such improvements.

j accordance with this 'invention, a dry cell battery,especially'adapted .ior hearing aid systems, is providedwhich isconstructed in such a wayjthat manufacture thereof is materially f'aiated with" a correspondingly lower cost than the cost .101? such devices'madein accordance withprevailing methods. The new battery of thisinvention comprises the, usual three dry cells connected in series andinserted in an envelope or casing of fabric or pa- 'per, but theinsulating separators between adjacent dry'cells' areextendedbeyond thetops of the celisandare notched to provide a saddle for'tlie terminalor, connector'block. The terminal or connector blockis grooved to fitsecurely inthesaddle and comprises a stack of insulation laminationssecured together in block 'iorm'sol'ely by the two elements which formthelcontact terminals for the electrical connector whereby the batteryis connected in the cir- 140 Icuitfof the hearing aid system -The twdconnector terminal elements are U- ;shaped and one'arm.'oi each,of themserves as a contact. of the separable connector which the ,block.f orms,projccting' into a hole through the block.- formed by aligned:piinchings' in therlaminations, while the other armalso passes througha similarly formed'hole in the blockand serves to, hold the laminationsof the block securely together, No other securing means for the lami- 45nations is provided, her is it necessary. Leads are secured. to'theterminal elements and are easily. cc'n'nected t'o the cell terminals bysoldering," or' the like, afterwhich the space between "e' block and theenvelope is filled "with the usual wax filling; 4

For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference may behadto the accompanying drawing, in which i Figure 1 is a verticalsection through the new; dry battery packet of this invention, as seenalong the line 1-1 of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof;

Figure 3 is a transverse section through th device to illustrate theshape of thesaddle separators, before the connector block is "seated 66therein;

Figure 4 is a'similar section as seen along the, line 4-.-4 of Figure 2,showing the connector block seated in the saddle separator;

Figure 5 is an enlarged plan view of the connector'block; 1

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section thereof as seen along the/line 6-6 ofFigure 5; and

Figure '7 is a bottomview thereof. i

, In the drawing, numeral 10 designates an en- '15v velope or casing offabric,paper, cardboardor the like, which closely accommodates three drycells 11 of standard construction, each comprising an uninsulated metalcontainer 12, a positive terminal 13 and a negative terminal 14connected 8 0) to the metal casing 12 which serves as one of the polesof the cell. The electrolyte 15 is sealed within the container 12 in theusual way.

Electrically insulating the adjacent dry cells. 11 fromeach other areseparators 16 of paper, 35 fibre, or the like, two of which areemployed, since the battery casing 10 contains three cells, the outerones of which must be insulated from the inner one. The upper ends 17 ofthe insulating separators 16v extend above the upper ends of theadjacent cells 11 and are provided 'with notches 18 of substantiallyrectangular shape, the notched upper end 17 of the two separators 16jointly cooperating to form a saddle for the connector block 19. Theconnector block 19 is shown in enlarged detail in Figures 5, 6, and 7',and comprises a stack of laminations 20 of insulating material such asfibre, cardboard, mica, a synthetic resin, or the like, each of which isprovided with three 1 longitudinal slots, a rectangular center one 21and broader, shorter 'end ones 22, which register to form holesextending through the connector block 19 when laminations 20 are placedin registry. Each lamination is provided with two grooves 23 in itsopposite long edges which register with like grooves in the otherlaminations to provide seats for receiving the saddles 1'1 of theseparators 16 in the manner indicated in Figures ,2 and 4.

The laminations 20 forming the connector block 11 I 19 are securedtogether by U-shaped metal conductor elements 24, an arm 25 of each ofwhich projects upwardly into holes 22 as illustrated in Figure 6, andserves as one of the contacts for the separable electrical connectorwhich the connector block 19 forms. The lower ends of the holes 22 aresealed by an insulating strip 26, through which the contacts 25 project.The other arm of each of the elements 24 also projects upwardly throughinsulating strip 26 and through center hole 21 above the upper surfaceof the connector block 19 and the projecting ends thereof 27 are peenedor riveted over the edges of the center hole 21 to secure not only theelements 24 in position but also to rigidly clamp the laminations 20 ofthe connector block 19 together.

Soldered or otherwise secured to the projecting lower surface 28 of theU-shaped elements 24 are two wire leads 29 which are illustratedparticularly in Figure 2 and are shaped so that they engage the positiveterminal 13 of the right-hand cell 11 and the negative terminal 14 ofthe lefthand cell 11 when the connector block 19 is inserted in thesaddle 17.

In assembling the dry battery packet of this in vention, the three drycells 11 are insulated from each other by the separators 16 and areconnected in series in the usual way by wires 30 soldered to thepositive and negative terminals 13 and 14 of the several cells 11. Thethree cells 11 in this condidtion are inserted in the envelope or casing10 and the connector block 19 constructed in the manner described, isinserted in the saddle 1'7 in such a way that the side grooves 23thereof'interlock with the edges of the corresponding notches 18 in themanner indicated in Figures 2 and 4. When the connector block 19 isemplaced in the saddle 17 in this way, wires 29, rest upon the positiveand negative terminals of rightand left-hand battery cells 11 in themanner illustrated in Figure 2. In order to secure these wires 29 totheir battery terminals it is only necessary to place a drop of solderon them and the electrical connections of the battery are completed.Introduction of the usual molten sealing wax compound into the open topof casing 10 so that it flows around the upper ends of cells 11 and theblock 19 to form the seal 31 completes the assembly of the batterypacket of this invention. The wax or other insulating material 31 isprevented from entering the holes 22 containing contacts 25 by thesealing strip 26, and material 31 also serves to secure the terminalblock 19 in proper fixed position relatively to the cells 11.

It will be seen that without using any additional parts, and in factreducing the number of parts, the new battery packet is more simplyconstructed than those in current use and can be made at an appreciablylower manufacturing cost. Furthermore, no gages or templates arenecessary to properly center the terminal block 19 with respect to thecells 11, nor is it necessary to use separate fastening means forsecuring the laminations 20 of the block 19 together, the U-shapedconnector elements 24 serving the double purpose of completing theassembly of the block 19 and as connector contacts. The connectorcontacts 25 are accessible through holes 22 for adjustment b bending sothat they engage the male elements of the separable connector with theproper degree of friction to produce a good electrical contact.

. While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed herein, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited thereby but is susceptible to various changes of form and detailwithin its scope. I

I claim:

1. In a battery packet, the combination of a dry cell, a unitaryterminal block having an insulating member with open sockets, exposedcontacts therein electrically connected across the terminals of thecell, and initially plastic insulating material holding theblock infixed position over the terminal end of said cell and leaving the saidsockets open.

2. In a dry cell packet, the combination of a dry cell, a terminal blockcomprising a separate unit including an insulating member having opensockets and exposed contacts, means including initially plasticinsulating material supporting the block in fixed position over theterminal end of the cell with the sockets open, and terminal leadselectrically connecting said contacts to the corresponding terminals ofthe cell.

3. In a battery packet, the combination of a plurality of interconnecteddry cells, a unitary terminal block having an insulating member andcontacts thereon electrically connected across the terminals of thecells, and means primarily including insulators between" the cells forholding the block in fixed position over the terminal ends of saidcells.

4. In a battery packet,- the combination of a plurality ofinterconnected dry cells, a unitary terminal block having an insulatingmember and contacts thereon electrically connected across the terminalsof the cells, and means including insulators between the cells forholding the block in fixed position over the terminal ends of saidcells, said insulators having notches forming a saddle receiving saidblock.

5. In a battery packet, the combination of a plurality of interconnecteddry cells, a unitary terminal blockhaving an insulating member andcontacts thereon electrically connected across the terminals of thecells, and means including insulators between the cells for holding theblock in fixed position over the terminal ends of said cells, saidinsulators and block having interlocking notches.

6. In a battery packet, the combination of a plurality of interconnecteddry cells, a unitary terminal block having an insulating member withopen sockets, exposed contacts therein electrically connected across theterminals of the cells, and insulating means around the block and on theterminal ends of the cells for holding the block in fixed position overthe terminal ends of said cells with the said sockets open.

7. In a dry battery packet, the combination of a casing open at itsupper end, a plurality of interconnected dry cells therein, a unitaryinsulating block in the open upper end of the casing above the terminalends of the cells and having a pair of open sockets, exposed contacts inthe sockets, conductors electricalb! connecting said contacts across theterminals 01' said cells, and insulating material substantially fillingthe open upper end of the casing around said block and leaving the saidsockets open.

8. In a dry battery packet, ,the combination of a casing open at itsupper end, a plurality of interconnected dry cells therein, a unitaryinsulating block in the open upper end of the casing above the terminalends of the cellsand having means? 3 contacts across the terminals orsaid cells. and ing a pair of open sockets extending upwardly insulatingmaterial substantially filling the openthrough the block, exposedcontacts extending upupper end of the casing around said block andwardly into the sockets and connected across the leaving the saidsockets open. terminals of the battery, means closing the lower 9. In adry battery pocket, the combination of -ends or the sockets, andinsulating material suba casing open at its upper end, a plurality ofinstantially fill ng the open upper end of the casterconnected dry cellstherein, a unitary ining around said block leaving the said socketssulating block in the open upper end of the casopen.

ing above the terminal ends of the cells and hav- I IENRY KOCH.

